Local body elections in Maharashtra usually revolve around the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, one of Asia’s wealthiest civic bodies. This time, however, the spotlight has shifted to the lesser-known Ambernath Municipal Council, which has emerged as a key example of the increasingly intricate political dynamics in the state following the split of both the NCP and the Shiv Sena.

The first major development unfolded on Tuesday, when it was revealed that the BJP had joined hands with the Congress in the 60-member Ambernath council to prevent its state ally, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, from forming the council, despite the latter emerging as the single largest party. This arrangement was supported by Ajit Pawar’s NCP, another BJP ally at the state level, even though the NCP faction has been excluded from alliances by the BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena in several civic bodies, including the BMC.

The BJP–Congress partnership triggered unrest within both parties. The Congress responded by dissolving its Ambernath unit and suspending 12 leaders for aligning with the BJP. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also distanced the BJP from the tie-up, directing party leaders to sever ties with the Congress, stating that such alliances were unacceptable.

The move drew criticism from leaders across factions, including Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the opposition Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut accused the BJP of hypocrisy, pointing out that the party advocates a “Congress-free India” while entering into alliances with the Congress.

Another political shift followed on Friday. The four councillors from Ajit Pawar’s NCP withdrew their support from the BJP-led coalition, known as the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi, and instead backed Shinde’s Shiv Sena, after the 12 suspended Congress councillors joined the BJP. With 27 councillors already in its fold, Shinde’s Shiv Sena crossed the majority threshold with the backing of the NCP councillors and an independent member.

Explaining their decision, the NCP councillors said they were unwilling to share power with the Congress, a party they have opposed since the split of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP in 2023. Local leaders also argued that the public mandate favoured the Mahayuti alliance—comprising the BJP, Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP—rather than any arrangement involving the Congress. This turn of events is being viewed as a setback for BJP state president Ravindra Chavan, who is believed to have engineered the initial alliance with the Congress before inducting the suspended councillors into the BJP.